Ce

Choosing safe toys is always important, cheaper car insurance quotes when we buy toys for the smallest of our loved ones it's extra important. Babies and toddlers put everything into their mouths, so we can just assume that any toy we give them will be chewed on.

It will also be banged on the floor, thrown out of cribs, used for many purposes for which it wasn't intended and just generally abused.

This is why we have structured settlement investment make sure that buy meridia and toddler toys pass all the safety tests. The first test is the size test. This is federally mandated and states that - for children under 3 - small parts must not be under 1 1/4 inches in diameter or 2 1/4 inches long.

This is why it's important not to buy toys for younger children if they're labeled for ages 3 and under. Many parents mistakenly think that toys are labeled for the developmental stage of the child. Because their child is "ahead of herself" developmentally, they buy a toy for an older child, not realizing that it isn't safe for their child.

Another important test for toys for younger children is the texture test. Toys for younger children should not have sharp edges or rough spots. These can be a hazard to young children.

Finally, all toys for young children should be able to withstand what even the nicest baby or toddler will put them through. Many parents just look at toys before they buy them for their children, but they should handle them.

Pull on eyes, buttons and anything that is attached to the toy. If it appears the least bit loose, don't buy the toy. Check to see if there is anything inside the toy such as a bell or other noisemaker.

If so, find out what it is, what it's made from and how it's secured to the inside of the toy. If you can't find that information on the tag, check with the toymaker's website or helpline before buying the toy.

Taking a few minutes to thoroughly check out a toy is much better than spending hours in the emergency room or finding out too late that a toy is dangerous.

Find bestnetpagessafetoys/Safe Toys for everyone from toddlers to teens, along with the latest toy recall information and more at bestnetpagessafetoysbestnetpagessafetoys

For as long as some of us can remember; we have been hearing about inflation. It may have something to do with growing up in the seventies when that was all that you heard about every time you or your parents went to the store.

My first real lesson was traumatizing! I would tag along with my Father on his way to the store and use my hard earned allowance to buy a piece or geico auto insurance of candy. I looked forward buying my Bazooka bubble gum at the PX for a penny and reading the little comics inside. One day, my Father and I went to the store and they had suddenly raised the price to two pennies. I was shocked! I could not believe my eyes. How could it be? It was the same amount of gum as the day before but now it cost twice as much! That consolidating student loans when my Father told me the story about inflation. I am quite sure that I did not remember the term at the time but I will never forget leaving without my bubble gum because I did not have enough money.

For those of you who are thinking "You could buy Bazooka for a penny?" - There are probably just as many people who are mortgages for people with bad credit "I remember when you could get two pieces or more for a penny!" Well, it sell structured settlements a sad story but all the same it still rings true today. The easiest way to think of inflation is that you have to pay more for the same thing or on the flip side; the same thing is not worth as much today as it was yesterday.

In general, the subject of inflation can be quite complex and these complexities will be covered in later articles. One could spend years covering the topic but for now, we will stick to the basics. According to the Bureau Labor Statistics, inflation has been defined as a process of continuously rising prices, or equivalently, of a continuously falling value of money.

Inflation is generally measured in terms of the Consumer Price Index which the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis refers to as a measure of the average change in prices over time of a market basket of goods and services. Simply put; it measures how prices have changed over the years.

For an interesting look at how the value of your money is impacted by inflation, try using this "What is it Worth?" calculator (available at minneapolisfed.org ), courtesy of the Minneapolis Fed, to find out the value of your money. It is a fabulous tool that allows you to view what your dollar was worth in any year back to 1913 or it will allow you to put in a past price and see what it is worth today. For example; if you purchased a gallon of milk on sale in 2008 for $3.89 and you were curious about what it cost back in 1975; you would find that the same gallon of milk was only $0.97.

Now, imagine that you had a million dollars today - that would be great! But with inflation that million dollars is really only worth what $249,536.18 was in 1975. That is pretty scary! If you had a million dollars in 1975 that would be worth $4,007,434.94 today! When it comes to your money, the impact of inflation really is a big deal!

Disclosure: The information in this article is for discussion and information purposes only. The opinions provided are those of Sarah M. Place and not that of Place Trade Financial, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC). Nothing contained herein should be considered as an offer to buy or sell any security or securities product. Please contact Sarah Place for further information.

Sarah M. Place, MBA is the President and CEO of Place Trade Financial, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC, ( placetradeplacetrade). She has over eighteen years experience in the financial services industry. She has vast experience working with stocks, bonds, mutual funds, 401(k)s and other investment vehicles. She is a member of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) and the Finance Roundtable, serves as a member of the North Carolina Council on Economic Education (NCCEE) Board of Directors as well as several other boards and committees that are dear to her heart.

She has presented topics including economic issues, investments and retirement planning to numerous groups over the years including the Tufts University Alumni Association and the Cary Jaycees. She is a contributing writer for several publications including Balance Magazine, the Carolina Newswire, the NC Journal for Women, NC Career Networking Magazine and Women in the Triangle.

If you would like to receive a free subscription to our monthly newsletter please visit placetradeabt-newsletter.htmplacetradeabt-newsletter.htm